Moonlight Gold
by physicsnerd
Summary: Rumplestiltskin lost it all, and just when he managed to get some of it back by reuniting with the love of his life everyone in the Enchanted Forest was ripped away from their lives and sent to Storybrooke, Maine. How will his curious partner in crime change the stories we thought we knew? How will the Land Without Magic be affected? (ON INDEFINITE HIATUS)
1. Chapter 1

_Italics are dreams/memories/flashbacks of Enchanted Forest, not scenes where they are actually in the Enchanted Forest._

A guard moved through the dungeons of a castle, his stride long and rushed, as Snow White and Prince Charming hurried after him, shrouded in rags.

"When we reach the cell, stay out of the light, and whatever you do, do not let him know your name, and do not let her touch you," The guard ordered, grabbing a torch from the wall to better light his path, "If he knows your name, he will have power over you, same for her touch," He explained, a shiver running down his spine as his attention turned to the cell.

"Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin!" The guard demanded, "I have a question for you." A shrill giggle erupted from the cell, causing the monarchs to flinch away from the cell and further into the shadow.

"No, you don't. They do," A soft, growl of a voice mumbled as Rumplestiltskin lowered himself down from the ceiling of the cell.

"Snow White—and Prince Charming!" He cheered, cackling in delight before scowling suddenly.

"You insult me. Step into the light, and take off those ridiculous robes," Rumplestiltskin spat, grinning as they immediately followed his command.

"Ah, ha-ha ha... that's much better, don't you think dearie?" Snow White gulped in fear as a woman with white hair moved out from the shadows to stand behind the man.

"Such pretty little things," She cooed, wrapping her arms around Rumpelstiltskin's neck from behind and bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist. The man's grin widened, his hand dropping from the bar to idly stroke the woman's leg as he assessed the monarchs.

Charming snarled, fury and frustration boiling in his body at the sight of the two dark beings cozying up before him, "We've come to ask you about the-" He started until Rumplestiltskin's shouting quickly cut him off.

"Yes, yes, I know why you're here!" The woman quickly shushed him, whispering into his ear soothingly.

"You want to know about the Queen's threat," She cooed, speaking for her enraged cellmate. The hand on her leg tightened, bringing a shiver down her spine and a smile to her plump lips.

"Tell us what you know," Snow White demanded, revulsion filling herself at the sight of the two mages.

"Ohh! Tense, aren't we?" The woman snapped, glaring violently at the queen, wincing as Rumplestiltskin's nails dug into her leg.

"Fear not: for I can ease your mind!" He cheered, releasing the woman's leg and grabbing the bars again, "But. It's gonna cost you something in return," He murmured softly, watching them slowly move closer to him.

"No. This is a waste of time," Charming snapped, turning away and attempting to pull Snow with him until she wrenched herself away.

"What do you want?" She demanded, glaring at the two prisoners.

"Oh... the name of your unborn child?" The woman inquired, leaning in with a sadistic smile, her onyx eyes flashing in the torchlight.

"Absolutely not!" Charming shouted, glaring at the woman pressed against the bars.

"Deal! What do you know?" Snow interjected, desperation filling her voice.

"Ah. The Queen has created a powerful curse. And it's coming," Rumplestiltskin began, twirling his fingers around the bars.

"Soon you'll all be in a prison, just like me, only worse!" The white-haired woman continued for him, "Your prison-all of our prisons—will be time. And time will stop. And we will be trapped, someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love will be ripped from us while we suffer for all eternity, while the Queen celebrates, victorious at last!" She explained with a shrill giggle emerging every so often.

"...No more happy endings," Rumplestiltskin finished, pulling the woman to him and forcing the tidal wave of sadness within him as far away as he could. His cellmate stared up at him, her eyes filled with a similar emotion, unnoticed by the desperate couple opposite them.

"What can we do?" Snow begged, moving a few inches closer and pleading with her eyes.

"We can't do anything!" Rumplestiltskin snapped, tightening his grip on his cellmate.

"Who can?" Snow whispered, a tear falling down her face slowly.

"That little thing. Growing inside your belly," The white-haired woman whispered, grazing the Queen's stomach slightly before the sting of Charming's sword sent her hand shrinking back behind the bars.

"Next time, I cut it off," The Prince snarled, pulling Snow away a tad.

"Tk, tk, tk, tk, tk," Rumplestiltskin grumbled, cradling the hand in his as the woman continued,

"The infant is our only hope. Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety and on its" She then turned towards Rumplestiltskin who scrunched his eyes shut in thought.

"Twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you—and the final battle will begin!" He finished with cackles streaming from his cracked lips.

"Heard enough. We're leaving," Charming said gruffly, dragging Snow White away, much to the other couple's displeasure, their cackles turning to snarls and screams in the monarchs' wake.

"Hey! No! We made a deal! I want her name! We had a deal—I. Need. Her. Name! I want her name!" Rumplestiltskin shrieked, his companion rattling the bars restlessly and panting as they retreated.

"Her? It's a boy," Charming retorted, continuing on while Snow remained, Rumplestiltskin's words reverberating in her skull.

"Missy, missy—you know he's right. Tell us. What's her name?" The white-haired woman crooned, climbing the bars and dangling with ease.

"Emma. Her name is Emma," Snow whispered, wincing as the two creatures whispered her baby's name to themselves, swirling it between their silver tongues and lips of poison with a deadly smile.

OUAT

A small yellow car made its way down the streets of Storybrooke, Maine, with a woman and a young boy as its cargo.

"Okay, kid, how about an address?" The woman asked, glaring at the child beside her with incredibly pertinent frustration.

"Forty-four, not-telling-you street," He replied, smirking at her in supposed triumph, only fueling her frustration. The woman quickly pulled over and stopped her car before hopping out and running her hands through her hair.

"Look, it's been a long night, and it's almost," She paused, staring up at the clock tower in confusion, "—eight-fifteen?" Her brows furrowed in confusion, her eyes stared at the clock intently as the child exited the car and moved to stand beside her.

"That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here," He explained, leaning against the outside of the car with a resigned stare at the timepiece.

A scoff came from the woman who turned on the boy with a glare. "Excuse me?" She demanded, her arms crossed across her chest and an eyebrow raised.

"The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here," The boy continued, annoyed she was still refusing to listen.

"Hang on. The Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairytale characters here?" The woman questioned, more than a little skeptic.

"Yeah. And now they're trapped," He reiterated, rolling his eyes almost audibly.

"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?" She deadpanned, staring down at the boy.

"It's true!"He retorted with an upward glare at her disbelieving face.

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?" She replied, gesturing towards the exit of the town.

"They can't. If they try, bad things happen," The boy replied, looking down at the ground until a new voice distracted the pair.

"Henry!" A young, red-headed man called out, a dalmatian in tow and an umbrella in his other hand.

"What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" He demanded, crouching before the young boy, Henry.

"I'm fine, Archie," He mumbled, petting the sweet Dalmatian idly while avoiding eye contact with the two adults.

"Who's this?" Archie asked, standing up to shake the woman's hand firmly.

"Just someone trying to give him a ride home," She explained while shaking his hand, only to be cut off by Henry.

"She's my mom, Archie," He explained, frowning to himself at her lack of enthusiasm towards their relationship.

"Oh.. I see," Archie murmured, trailing off.

"You know where he lives?" The woman demanded, eager to go back to her home after the night's events.

"Oh. Yeah, sure, just uh, right up on Mifflin Street; the Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block," Archie stammered out, fiddling with his umbrella as his dog started fidgeting.

"You're the mayor's kid?" She asked, her eyes wide and her mouth open in horror at the coals she was to be raked upon given that little tidbit.

"Uh. Maybe?" Henry mumbled, his eyes firmly trained on the pavement beneath his shoes.

"Hey. Where were you today, Henry, because you missed our session," Archie suddenly remembered, a troubled frown marring his kind features, "Ms. Melanie was worried too, you missed her tutoring session as well." The child paled at the reminder, quickly scrambling for an excuse.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip," Henry stuttered, fiddling with his hands and avoiding all eye contact as best he could as Archie crouched to meet his eyes.

"Henry, what'd I tell you about lying? Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything," Archie reminded the boy, disappointment in his limpid eyes.

"O-kay! Well, I really should be getting him home," The woman suddenly said, her urge to flee the town mounting with each passing second.

"Yeah. Sure. Well, listen—have a good night, and uh, you be good, Henry," Archie whispered, patting Henry on his slim shoulders before making his way home.

"So that's your shrink," Henry's mom commented, staring down at the child before her.

"I'm not crazy," He spat, scowling at his birth mother.

"Didn't say that," She replied, raising her hands non-threateningly, "Just—he doesn't seem cursed to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you," She mused, leaning back against her car in exhaustion.

"He's the one who needs help. Because he doesn't know," Henry's retort was silenced by his mother.

"That he's a fairytale character," She finished, her eyebrows almost merging with her hairline in her astonishment.

"None of them do. They don't remember who they are," Henry explained while walking back to the passenger door.

"Convenient. All right. I'll play," She murmured, resigned to this topic of conversation as she climbed back into the car, "Who's he supposed to be?" She asked while she turned the car on and began the rest of the drive back to Henry's house.

"Jiminy Cricket!" Henry stated, his eyes bored at her surmised obliviousness.

"Right. The lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit," She teased, smiling at the boy next to her.

"I'm not Pinocchio!" Henry retorted, outraged at the very concept, much to her amusement.

"'Course you're not. 'Cause that would be ridiculous," She muttered to herself, making a turn onto a one-way street.

OUAT

"Please don't take me back there," Henry begged as they made their way up the long path to the front door of Henry's home.

"I have to. I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you," His mom explained, her hands firmly in her pockets.

"I don't have parents. I just have a mom, and she's-evil," Henry spat, glaring at the ground as they maintained a slow pace.

"Evil. That's a bit extreme, isn't it?" His mother asked, frowning at Henry's description of his adoptive mom.

"She is. She doesn't love me; she only pretends to," He whimpered, his eyes slightly glassy and sending a pang of emotion through his birth mother.

"Kid. I'm sure that's not true," She murmured, about to rub the boy's hair soothingly when the door opened to reveal two women and a sheriff of sorts.

"Henry? Uh! Henry!" A dark-haired woman ran out, clasping Henry to her chest tightly as the other one stood in the doorway silently.

"Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?" Henry's adoptive mom demanded, her eyes filled with worried tears.

"I found my real mom!" Henry snapped, shrugging the woman off and sprinting up the steps and into the house, past the pale haired woman and the sheriff in the door.

"You're Henry's birth mother?" The woman in question nodded at Henry's adoptive mom's words.

"Hi, Emma Swan," She introduced, shaking the ravenette's hand with an embarrassed smile.

"I'll.. just... go check the lad, make sure he's okay," The man piped up from the doorway, only to be stopped by the white-haired lady beside him.

"It's okay Sheriff, I will check on him. He knows me better, it would be best if I went up," She explained, looking to Henry's adoptive mom for confirmation.

"Is that alright Regina?" She asked, smiling at the nod from the woman in question.

"Thank you, Melanie," Regina replied as she watched Melanie run up the stairs to Henry's room.

OUAT

Henry looked up from his bedspread as Melanie slowly opened the door to his bedroom, a sad smile on her face as she regarded the boy. "You gave us a right scare honey," She murmured, crouching down in front of him. A sigh escaped Henry as he locked eyes with Melanie's onyx orbs, a single tear falling down his face.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, throwing his arms around the woman before him.

"Oh honey," Melanie breathed out, "I'm not mad at you, I was just worried." Henry sniffled softly and buried his head in her shoulder.

"I just wanted to know who she was, where she was," He mumbled, tears choking his voice off. Melanie slowly stroked the boy's hair, her voice crooning in his ear until he found himself immersed in the realm of dreams. She then removed Henry's shoes and jacket, setting them aside before lifting the blankets over him and tucking him into bed for the night. On her way out from the room, she flicked the light switch and then slowly closed the door with a barely audible click.

"Madam Mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine," Melanie called as she descended the stairs, removing her knee-length hair from the bun it had been meticulously wrapped into. Regina emerged from her parlor, a hint of annoyance at her disheveled appearance in her eyes, but overall more than relieved at her words.

"Thank you, Melanie," Regina replied, hugging the woman tightly. A few seconds passed before Melanie pulled away and made her way out of the house.

"Remember that Henry and I have a session tomorrow evening!" Emma raised an eyebrow at her words, staring at Regina as the door shut a moment later.

"Melanie is an old family friend, she tutors Henry in the evenings on occasion," Regina explained, turning back to Emma with a brandy in her hand. "Now, let's talk." She muttered, walking back into the drawing room.

OUAT

Melanie smiled as she pushed open the door to her home, the sound of a cane hitting the wood a welcome one.

"Is that you Mellie?" A Scottish brogue called as a man with long brown hair and a limp made his way down the stairs, wincing in pain every so often.

"Tis I, Mister Gold," She replied while sweeping into a grandiose bow, "And how have you been faring in my absence?" The man scowled at her words or rather, pouting in the same manner of a petulant child.

"I had several consultations, nothing too horrible, but you would've been of use to me," He muttered, crossing foyer to stand before her.

She smiled sadly and cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Well, I do have to maintain Regina's friendly alliance with us in some form or fashion," Melanie whispered, running her hands through his hair.

"And what conundrum was it this time?" He asked, staring down at her.

"Henry ran away to find his birth mother in Boston," She explained, her hands running down to his shoulders, "But I don't want to talk about her." Mr. Gold smirked, running one of his hands up and down Melanie's back slowly.

"And what would you like to discuss dearie?" He asked, slowly pushing her up against the wall. Melanie grinned and pulled him into a passionate kiss, losing herself in the pleasure of her husband.

OUAT

The sound of their phone ringing was the reason Melanie Gold awoke that next worning, displeasure rolling off of her in waves as she slowly sat up and grabbed the nearest phone. "Melanie Gold, who is this?" She asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Melanie, it's Regina, Henry's gone again and he's not with his birth mother, I need your help in finding him." The woman in question immediately leapt from the care, taking care not to disturb her sleeping spouse.

"I can be at your house in twenty minutes, is that alright?" She asked, scampering up the stairs to take a quick shower and ready herself.

"Yes, just get here as soon as you can," Regina replied before ending the call.

Melanie finished her shower within ten minutes, her hair taking another few minutes to pull up into a ponytail as she attempted to ready herself and get dressed.

"Going somewhere?" Her husband asked, materializing in the doorway out of seemingly thin air.

"Henry's gone again and Regina needs me to help out," She explained, slipping on her necklace once she was fully clothed. Her husband scoffed, clearly disappointed by her words.

"I'm not on the block schedule for today, so I will come back to the shop as soon as I am done with this matter," Melanie promised, fitting a pair of dark green flats onto her feet before running out the door and to the car. Mr. Gold sighed as he watched her leave, knowing that there was nothing he could do to stop her, even if he tried like hell.

OUAT

"Smart kid. Cleared his inbox," Emma explained to Regina and Sheriff Graham as she investigated Henry's computer for clues, "I'm smart too, a little hard disk recovery utility I like to use," Melanie entered the room a mere moment later.

"Have you found anything?" She asked, rushing over to comfort Regina and stare at the computer that Emma was working on.

"Nothing yet, but we're getting somewhere," Emma muttered, the woman's presence unnerving her for some reason.

"I'm a bit more old-fashioned, in my techniques. Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing," The sheriff commented, leaning over Emma's shoulder to take a closer look at the screen. Melanie frowned as she watched them work, worry for Henry bubbling within her.

"You're on salary; I get paid for delivery. Pounding pavement is not a luxury that I get," Emma retorted, her eyes fixed on her work.

"Ah, there's a receipt for a website, —it's expensive," Melanie stared at the website Emma had pulled up before turning to Regina.

"He has a credit card?" She asked, stunned at the very thought that Regina would've given such independence to Henry.

"He's ten," Regina snapped, glaring at her friend who sent her an apologetic glance and fiddled with a strand of her hair.

"Well, he used one, let's pull up a transaction record," Emma commented, clicking a few more buttons, "Mary Margaret Blanchard, who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?" She asked, turning to the two women behind her with a raised eyebrow.

"Henry's teacher," Regina spat out in disgust before quickly making her way out of the house to confront the woman. "Melanie, if you wouldn't mind staying here in case Henry comes home I would really appreciate it," She requested, slipping a blazer on over her blouse.

"Of course Regina, I'll get something prepared for your lunch too so that you don't have to stress about it," Melanie replied, removing her shoes and heading into the kitchen as they departed.

An hour or so later, Regina returned without Henry. "His teacher was absolutely unhelpful, so Emma and the Sheriff are looking now," she explained, taking a seat at the kitchen island as Melanie continued to prepare food. The latter turned to look at Regina, her eyes sad.

"I wish he could talk about his emotions with us, instead of being so scared and distant all the time," She murmured, stirring a pot of pasta with some cream and cheese. Regina sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Unfortunately our relationship is not an easy one. I spend so much time away because of work, he's pining for his birth mother," Melanie cut off Regina abruptly.

"As your friend, I must tell you, never blame your children for the problems in your relationship," She murmured, looking down at the necklace resting on her chest. The other woman rested her head on her hands, frustration overwhelming her whole being as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"I just wish we could have an effortless relationship. That we were close, trusting and communicative," She murmured, shaking her head.

Melanie sighed as she packed the food into the fridge and then started to clear away the dishes silently. Regina frowned at the sigh, "What do you think?" She asked, watching Melanie's every move across her kitchen.

"I think you're expecting too much from Henry, especially since he doesn't come from the picture perfect family," Melanie explained, sitting down across from Regina, "You need to be more understanding with his need to know more about where he came from, instead of isolating him," She finished, staring at the Mayor who had settled on an intense glare at her words.

"Well, you've made your opinion, and I think I need to think about this alone," Regina muttered, standing from her spot and turning away from Melanie, who merely sighed in resignation.

"I will see Henry this evening for tutoring then," She murmured, putting her shoes back on and grabbing her purse, "Have a good evening Regina." The Mayor said nothing as her friend departed, the door clicking shut a moment later.

OUAT

Hours later, Mr. Gold began his rounds as usual on the first of each month, the day the rent was due for everyone that happened to be a tenant of his. His first stop was Granny's Diner/Inn, where Melanie had been meeting with one of her students for an hour. Upon his arrival, he saw a stranger talking to Granny about renting a room at the inn, a woman named Emma.

"Emma… What a lovely name," He chimed in, approaching the counter slowly and with a smirk firmly in place on his thin lips.

"Thanks," She replied, her voice filled with caution and her eyes suspicious. Mr. Gold merely smiled at the woman as he turned his attention to the operator of the establishment, Granny, who was in the process of taking out her cash payment for her rent.

"It's all here," She spat, glaring at the man before her as she passed him a roll of bills.

Mr. Gold smiled and accepted it, the grin widening as Mellie entered the foyer from the diner, interlocking her arm with his.

"Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you," He replied to Granny, smiling down at his wife. "I know you, you're friends with Regina," Emma remarked, staring at the white-haired woman.

"This is my wife, Melanie Gold," Mr. Gold explained, gesturing at his lovely spouse, "You enjoy your stay, Emma," He murmured as they departed, many a thought running across his mind.

That night, Mellie found herself in the realm of dreams, in a place she did not recognize, but with people she definitely knew...

_A scream echoed in the streets of an impoverished village, leaping from the lips of a small boy as he found himself being kicked in the ribs by a drunkard. The boy stumbled away, clutching his side as tears flooded his eyes and submerged his cheeks, blurring his vision and causing him to trip on a stray stone. He quickly righted himself and kept running until he finally saw his father hobbling towards him, fear and deep anger settled upon his angular features. _

"_Baelfire!" He shouted, grabbing the small child and inspecting him carefully. _

"_Papa," Baelfire sobbed, pointing to his ribs as he wiped his eyes fitfully. His father slowly lifted up the child's tunic and gasped in horror as the rapidly developing bruises. _

"_Oh my dear boy," He sobbed, clutching his son close to his chest as he hobbled back towards their house, his leg aching in pain with each step. As they walked, Baelfire began to ache more and more, and his father eventually collapsed on the dirt road in front of a house, tears streaming down his face._

"_Oh dear," A soft voice resounded from the now opened door of the cottage, a beam of light accompanying it from the inside of their house. The man turned his head slightly to see a woman with white blonde hair that trailed onto the ground and a pair of onyx-black eyes sitting in her petite face, staring at him and his son in shock and horror. _

"_Please, come in," She murmured, holding a hand out to the young boy before her. His father immediately pulled him back, clutching the boy to his chest once again. _

"_I do not mean you harm, I merely wish to heal your son's wounds," The woman explained, drawing back in an attempt to appease the worried parent, who grew suspicious at her words. _

"_How do you know he was hurt?" He demanded, glaring at the woman. _

"_I heard his scream and saw him run from my window," She explained, her eyes focused on his, _

"_The wound was evident from the way he stumbled." The father sighed in resignation, tears trailing down his cheek._

"_How would you help him?" He demanded, slowly rising to his feet. _

"_My home is closer than yours, you may rest here for tonight," She offered, "I also have a salve that will soothe the bruising and aching." The man looked down at Baelfire, who had intermittently whimpered in pain. _

"_Thank you, we'd appreciate it," He whispered, looking down at the ground as the woman smiled at him. _

"_Please come on in," She murmured, making her way back inside and over to a box that was locked in three places while the two of them sat down on a wide chair with enough room for the both of them. Her fingers deftly removed the locks, a dark purple glow forming at her fingertips as she fished through the many bottles in the chest. Finally, she pulled out a small jar with a dark green paste within and made her way back to them. _

"_What are your names?" She asked, removing the lid from the jar and setting it aside. _

"_I am Rumpelstiltskin, and this is my son Baelfire," The man whispered, pointing at the small child as the woman rubbed the salve between her hands to warm it up, "What is yours?" He asked, his eyes fixed on her every move. _

"_My name is Melantha," She replied, "I'm going to need you to raise your shirt for me Baelfire," Melantha whispered soothingly, smiling gently at the little boy in front of her. Rumpelstiltskin smiled at his son and helped him raise his shirt, the smile faltering at the sight of the dark blue bruises. _

"_This might ache a little, darling, but it'll be very quick," Melantha crooned as she massaged the ointment onto Baelfire's skin with slow and firm motions. The boy whimpered once, but let out a sigh of relief as the pain slowly started to disappear. Rumpelstiltskin's eyes widened as he watched the wounds leave his son's skin right before his very eyes, the sight bringing a smile to Melantha's lips. _

"_There you go," She whispered, "All better." Baelfire grinned up at the woman as she wiped her hands and stood up. _

"_How did you do that?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, gaping at Melantha's retreating figure. _

"_I have a talent for magic, especially in healing and potion-making," She explained, locking the salve away and tucking the box back into a corner of the house. _

"_Magic?" He asked, his suspicion returning quickly at her response._

"_Yes, but not the magic that plagues the lives of many others. Mine is used only to help and heal," Melantha murmured, slowly sinking into a chair opposite him. "At least, unless someone does something truly vile," She mused, "Then it can become quite a vengeful force." Her eyes flicked to the open window, a dangerous gleam entering them. _

"_The man that hurt your son," Rumpelstiltskin's hands clenched into fists at the thought of him, "He mistreats many, and atones for nothing," Melantha explained, "I would like to enact a similar pain on that man." The father raised an eyebrow at her, leaning in slightly as Baelfire watched in confusion. _

"_How would you go about this?" He asked, his eyes searching hers for any lies he could spot. _

"_Not all potions heal, some are meant to cause quite a bit of pain," Melantha hinted, smiling at the father and son sweetly._

"_What would I owe you in return?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, the favor gleaming before him in such tantalizing proximity. _

"_Merely your friendship," Melantha said, the familiar feeling of loneliness coating her body and soul. Baelfire looked at his father, a sweet smile on his face. _

"_I wanna be her friend!" He crowed, bouncing excitedly and eliciting a giggle from the witch. Rumpelstiltskin chuckled and smiled down at his son. _

"_Well then, you have a very special friend. She's going to make sure no one can hurt you," He whispered, the vow filled with love and protection. Melantha nodded at his words and held out her hand to the spinner. Rumpelstiltskin stared at her hand hesitantly before he shook it firmly, his first deal struck._

**_Heyo! This is my first story on here, please let me know what you think and if you have questions comments or concerns. Reviews sound so exciting, I can't wait to hear from all of you! Thank you!_**


	2. Chapter 2

Melanie Gold walked out of Storybrooke Public School, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air while she surveyed the eager school children rushing into the building. A smile stretched her lips as a certain brunette launched himself into her and wrapped his arms around her middle.

"Hello darling," She murmured while slowly detaching Henry from her and looking across the sea of children to lock eyes with Emma Swan. "Head inside, I'll meet you for lunch in my classroom okay?" Henry nodded and ran inside. Melanie then crossed the space between her and the blonde, her smile still in place.

Mary Margaret beat her to Emma however, causing Melanie's steps to slow. As she crept closer snippets of the women's conversation were audible.

"It's good to see his smile back," Mary Margaret said with a soft smile.

"I didn't do anything," Emma replied, causing Melanie's eyes to roll.

"You stayed. So, does the Mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She's not a great people person. How did she get elected?"

"_Wouldn't everyone love to know,"_ Melanie thought to herself with a sneer. If there was one thing she truly hated about Regina, it was her desire for control; especially around children.

"She's been mayor for as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear," Melanie scoffed under her breath while Emma rolled her eyes, "I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

"Who does he think you are?" Emma asked. Melanie listened carefully while smiling at the various students that were still trickling in.

"Oh, it's silly," Mary Margaret giggled while avoiding eye contact.

"I just got five minutes of silly. Lay it on me," Emma said with her own crooked smile.

"Snow White. Who does he think you are?" Emma paled and took a step away from the brunette, much to Melanie's confusion.

"I'm not in the book. Can I ask you a favour?" Mary Margaret nodded, "Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?"

"Oh yes, it's Doctor Hopper's practice on Main Street."

"Thanks," Emma turned and started walking away, only to trip and fall- right into Melanie. "Oh my God I'm so sorry."

Melanie's eyes widened as images flashed across her mind and voices she hadn't heard before in years echoed in her ears. Bile started rising in her throat. Blood pounded in her ears. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she sprinted inside the school and ducked into the first available bathroom. She gagged and retched into the toilet, her knuckles turned white as she gripped the bowl. Her stomach tightened in pain and throat burned as the contents of her stomach rushed from her body.

"Oh my God!" Mary Margaret shouted, rushing forward to pull her hair back. "Melanie, are you okay?"

The white-haired woman could barely speak as she continued to purge her stomach while memories continued assaulting her mind. _"Baelfire! Baelfire no!"_ She sobbed as she heard her long forgotten cries and gagged again.

"Melanie, I'm going to call your husband and have him take you home," Mary Margaret whispered as she rubbed the woman's back.

"My class…" Melanie coughed as gagged again, "I need a substitute."

Mary Margaret scoffed. "Don't worry about class right now, we'll get it figured out. Now, what's your husband's phone number?" She pulled out her cell phone while still holding Melanie's hair back in her free hand.

"I can call him, it's fine," She took ragged breaths as she spoke, her fingers trembling as she reached up and flushed the toilet. "Do you, do you have gum or a mint?"

"Not on me, I'll grab some from my purse," Melanie watched as Mary Margaret left the bathroom to find her bag. She waited for a second before standing up, her legs shaking atop her five-inch heels. Her lips parted as she turned on one of the sinks and took a long gulp from the running water to rinse her mouth out. Melanie looked back up at her reflection a few seconds later, and noted the slight puffiness around her eyes and nose before grabbing her phone from inside her pocket. She held it up to her ear just as Mary Margaret entered the room with a pack of mint gum.

"Yes, yes I'm at the school," Melanie said into her powered off phone. "Okay, I'll see you in a bit," She faked pushing a button and took a piece of gum from Mary Margaret before putting it in her mouth, "He said he'll be here in fifteen minutes. Now, you need to go to class and I need to find a substitute."

"Okay, feel better!" Mary Margaret said with a sweet smile. Melanie faked one back before another thought struck her.

"Can Henry spend his lunch period with you today? I said I would, but I obviously can't now," She gestured to the cubicle with a shy smile.

"Of course, you just go home and rest," Mary Margaret replied before giving her a hug and leaving to join her class.

Melanie turned back to the mirror as soon as she left and allowed a wicked grin to spread across her lips. She reached out and touched her reflection gently.

"I'm back," She whispered. A soft laugh broke past her lips at that statement while her other hand reached up to clasp her necklace tightly. The laugh grew in volume as she turned on her heels and left the bathroom with a loud slam of the door. She pushed the entry doors open and took a deep breath of fresh air before taking off in almost a sprint down the streets.

OUAT

Mr. Gold looked up as the door to his pawn shop slammed open to reveal his wife. He smiled at her and let his eyes wander over every inch of her delectable figure, clad in a royal blue blouse and a tight pencil skirt, as she walked further into the shop. "Not that I'm upset to see you," He started, "But, I thought you had class today."

Melanie moved around the counted until her face was a hair's breadth away from his own. "Something important came up," She tilted her head to press gentle kisses on her husband's jaw, the feeling of his slightly stubbled skin causing her to shiver slightly.

"And what was this," He paused as his hands moved from the countertop to run over her clothed skin, "Important thing?"

His wife moaned as his fingers danced over her skin and leaned in to kiss his neck, her teeth grazing the flesh slightly. Her body arched into his touch and her tongue gently flicked across his skin as she kissed her way down his neck. Mr. Gold tightened his grip on her body, thin fingers digging into the soft curve of her waist as they resisted the temptation to dip below the waistband of her skirt.

"Tell me, dearie," He whispered, his voice dropping to a low snarl. Melanie shivered in his grasp and tipped her head back to stare into his eyes.

"You haven't noticed yet?" She asked while arching her back ever more to graze her hips against his. Mr. Gold frowned at her words. "Look a little closer," She leaned in until their lips barely brushed against each other, "Rumpelstiltskin."

His breath left him in a soft gasp. His eyes remained locked on hers, finally seeing the spark of remembrance in his wife's eyes. His fingers trembled as they moved up from her waist, grazing her breasts, and then her shoulders before landing on each side of her face.

"Melantha?" The pale-haired woman smiled at him wickedly as her hands tightened their grip on his shoulders.

"That's right," A low growl rumbled from her husband's chest, "I'm back, darling."

Any self restraint Rumpelstiltskin ever possessed shattered in that moment as he brought his wife's lips up to meet his own, relishing each second as they kissed with a passion that only the two of them could find within each other. Her breath escaped in soft gasps against his lips, her hands roamed his body freely as he turned and pinned her against the wall.

"It's been too long, dearie," He growled before moving his lips moved from hers to ravage her jaw with open-mouthed kisses that had the slightest hint of teeth behind them as he moved along the bone and down the elegant curve of her neck. Melantha gasped as he kissed just above her collarbone and arched her spine beautifully.

"Indeed it has, husband," She gasped out while Rumpelstiltskin wedged his good leg between her thighs. A whimper escaped her lips as he pressed right up against her little bundle of nerves and forced goosebumps to erupt on her skin. She reached one hand back to undo the zipper of her skirt while Rumpelstiltskin reached up to undo the chain of buttons on her blouse. "Close.. The curtains…"

"I'm closing the whole damn shop for you, dearie," Her husband snarled before pulling away and pulling down the blinds and turning the sign from open to closed. Melantha watched him and licked her lips as she thought of all the ways she could pleasure him. Thankfully, they both had rather creative minds that could last them several hours.

OUAT

Emma frowned as she sat on her bed back at Granny's Inn while flipping through Henry's file. Each note of his belief in the idea that everyone was a fairytale character spurred concern in her heart, until she reached a section that especially worried her. Archie had asked about Melanie and her husband, and Henry had refused to respond at all.

"_Why wouldn't he talk about her? He seems to be really close with her_," Emma thought while scouring more of the notes for any other mentions of the woman or her spouse. She looked up, however, when someone knocked on her door a few times. Emma stood slowly and opened the door to reveal Graham, the Sheriff of Storybrooke.

"Hey there. If you're concerned about the 'do not disturb' signs, don't worry. I've left them alone," She joked with a friendly smile. Graham sighed.

"Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?" Emma frowned at his words and shook her head slowly as she replied.

"No…"

"I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities…" Emma raised an eyebrow at him, "He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused, you came back and stole them."

"He gave them to me."

"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or, must I get a search warrant?" Emma sighed and let the Sheriff enter, wincing as he noticed the papers strewn about from Henry's file.

"This what you're looking for?" She asked. Graham nodded and turned back to face her.

"Well, you're very accommodating. I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you're under arrest. Again," He stepped forward and handcuffed the blonde who merely rolled her eyes.

"You know I'm being set up, don't you?"

"And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?" Emma pursed her lips at his question, the image of Storybrooke's Mayor coming to mind as he led her out to the cruiser.

OUAT

Melantha gasped for air as her husband rolled off of her body and onto the floor beside her, both of them feeling rather sated. She turned her head to look into his eyes with a gentle smile. "I've missed this."

Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow. "I distinctly remember us doing this a few days ago, don't you?"

His wife rolled her eyes and sat up, her breasts bouncing slightly as she did. "I meant as ourselves. It's been twenty-eight years since that as I'm sure you're aware."

"Indeed I am, dearie," He whispered before pulling her back down to lay on the floor, her head atop his chest and his hand tracing patterns on the milky white skin of her back. Melantha purred and nuzzled his chest gently while her fingers danced across his abdomen.

"When did you remember?" Rumpelstiltskin winced at the question.

"Yesterday, when we met Emma for the first time she told us her name," He explained. Melantha nodded in understanding.

"You always channelled your magic with names," She sighed, "If only I was the same instead of using touch."

"Hey," Melantha looked up at her husband, "It was only a day where one of us remembered. Trust me, I would have taken the necessary measures to bring you back had it been any longer than that." She blushed at his assurance and pressed a kiss to his chest.

"I know, darling, I know," Rumpelstiltskin preened at the trust his wife placed in him and moved his hand from her back to her incredibly long hair.

"I'm glad she didn't get rid of your hair," He commented as the strands wove themselves around his fingers and wrist.

"I am too, it's been rather useful for you in the bedroom," She replied with a salacious grin. Rumpelstiltskin growled and sat up, his hand still entwined with her hair as he pulled her into another kiss.

"Mm," She moaned as he moved from her lips to kiss down her neck, "As much as I would like to do another round right now," A hiss escaped her as he bit her neck harshly, "I need to," His hands moved to cup her breasts, "Oh hell."

Melantha pushed her husband onto his back and kissed him deeply as his nimble spinner's fingers squeezed her breasts firmly, kneading the flesh and devouring every sound that leapt from her lips with his own kisses. She broke their kiss a moment later to sit up, smirking down at Rumpelstiltskin as he gazed at her naked form, his hands still pleasuring her breasts.

"You are stunning, dearie," He purred while sitting himself up to stare into her eyes. Melantha's eyes glinted with pride as she rolled her hips, just barely grazing her husband's length with her dripping center. He hissed and moved one hand to tangle into her hair before yanking it back roughly. "Don't tease."

"But you know I love to tease," She replied breathily while slowly rolling her hips again. Rumpelstiltskin growled and pulled her close to press kisses upon her neck while his nails raked down her back. Melantha winced before shivering in delight as the pain set her nerves alight with more desire than she could believe possible.

"Mine," She vaguely registered the possessive snarl as she lost herself in the pleasure her husband draped her with. Deep down, she hoped it would never end.

OUAT

On the other side of town, Emma Swan was having a very different experience that she very much wanted to end as soon as possible. However, these pleas did nothing to prevent the annoying flash of the camera as Sheriff Graham took her mugshots.

"You know the shrink is lying, right?" She snapped. Graham rolled his eyes.

"To the right, please. Why would he lie?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"The Mayor put him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this…town."

"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job," Emma rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on the plaque in her hands.

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?"

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything," Graham commented before guiding Emma back into her cell and shutting the door.

"Including the police force?" The blonde griped before looking past the Sheriff as Henry and Mary Margaret ran inside the room a moment later.

"Hey!" The young boy cheered with a beaming smile.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham demanded, fearing the wrath Regina would utilize if she didn't know where her son was.

"His mother told him what happened," Mary Margaret explained, her eyes filled with sympathy as she stared at Emma.

"Of course she did. Henry, I don't know what she said-" Henry cut his birth mother off.

"You're a genius!"

"What?" Emma gaped at him.

"I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra." Graham frowned at the unknown term and looked over at Emma as well.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost," Emma opened her mouth to explain but Henry spoke instead.

"It's need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out," Graham turned to the teacher in shock, as did Emma.

"You are? Why?" She asked. Mary Margaret smiled at her hesitantly and took a few steps closer to her.

"I, uh, trust you," Emma visibly relaxed at the response and stuck her hands out through the bars while staring at Graham.

"Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do," She said, grinning smugly as the confused and somewhat annoyed sheriff released her from the cell.

OUAT

Regina sighed happily as she sat inside her office, sipping at a lovely cup of coffee and reached out to grab her phone. Just as she started dialing Melanie's number, a crash from outside distracted her. She stood with a dark frown and peered out the window, only to release a shout of rage and storm out of her home.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma grinned as she hacked a few branches of the beloved apple tree in the backyard to pieces with the massive chainsaw in her hands. She turned towards Regina after turning it off, relishing in the murderous glare the brunette was throwing at her.

"Picking apples," She quipped.

"You're out of your mind." Regina's sneer only bolstered Emma's smug satisfaction.

"No, you are if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off. You're going to have to do better than that," Emma stormed over until she was barely a foot away from the incensed Mayor, "You come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of," She winked at Regina before walking off, "Your move."

OUAT

Melantha purred as Rumpelstiltskin ran his spindly fingers through her long hair while they relaxed against the wall of their cell. Her body was perfectly pliant against his own and she couldn't help but feel that there was nowhere else she would rather be. However, a certain Queen had other plans and watched the duo from her place on the ground as a mouse.

"It's just us, dearie. You can show yourself," Rumpelstiltskin drawled, smirking as the Queen transformed into her true form. Melantha smiled sweetly at the woman and waved slowly as her husband moved from under her and left her propped against the wall.

"Regina, darling, it's been far too long," She called out with a voice dripping with honeyed sweetness. The Queen shivered, remembering exactly how horrifying the owner of that voice could be if she truly desired. She turned her attention back to Rumpelstiltskin.

"That curse you gave me, it's not working," She explained coldly, glaring at the man before her. Melantha let out a soft giggle as her husband rolled his eyes and grasped onto the bars to get a better look at the Queen.

"Oh so worried. So, so worried. Like Snow and her lovely new husband," Rumpelstiltskin said, his voice lilting every so often with a distinctly false cheeriness. The Queen stiffened and her eyes darkened with fury and a delicious touch of fear.

"What?" She snarled at the two magical beings.

"They paid us a visit, as well. They were very anxious…about you and the curse," He continued as the both of them grinned maliciously at her.

"What'd you tell them?" The Queen demanded.

"The truth! That nothing can stop the darkness," Melantha shivered at the raw power and rage in her husband's voice, "Except, of course, their unborn child. You see, no matter how powerful, all curses can be broken."

"Their child is the savior. Of course, you need to actually succeed first," Rumpelstiltskin cackled at his wife's jibe at the Queen.

"Tell me what I did wrong," Regina ordered with a glare.

"For that, there's a price," He replied with a sadistic smile.

"What do you want?"

"Simple. In this new land, I want comfort. I want a good life. I want to be able to lay beside my wife," He leaned in to snarl right in Regina's face, "and enjoy her every single night."

"Fine. You'll have an estate. Be rich. Have your," She glanced over at Melantha, "Wife."

"I wasn't finished. There's more!" He shouted with a sneer. Regina rolled her eyes.

"There always is with you."

"In this new land, should we ever come to you for any reason, you must heed our every request. You must do whatever we say. So long as we say 'please'," Rumpelstiltskin explained, his grip tightening on the bars.

"You do realize, that should I succeed, you won't remember any of this," Regina pointed out, a slight bolt of fear entering her heart as Melantha moved away from the wall and wrapped herself around her husband.

"Oh, well then. What's the harm?" She asked, her teeth glinting in the torchlight as she bared them against the Queen.

"Deal," Melantha relaxed, shivering as one of her husband's hands moved to stroke her exposed skin, "What must I do to enact this curse?"

"You need to sacrifice a heart," He replied.

"I sacrificed my prized steed," Regina scoffed. Melantha snarled and lunged forward, her arm snaking out of the bars to grasp Regina's throat between her fingers. The Queen gasped and writhed on the ground, terror seeping into her veins as she stared up at the two dangerous creatures.

"A horse? This is the curse to end all curses. You think a horse is going to do? Great power requires great sacrifice. The heart you need must come from something far more precious," Rumpelstiltskin sneered as he lowered himself until his face was barely an inch away from the Queen's.

"Tell me what will suffice," She choked out from under Melantha's fingers. Rumpelstiltskin pulled away for a moment before speaking.

"The heart of the thing you love most." Regina seemed to regain some strength as an old and unforgettable rage boiled in her blood.

"What I love most died because of Snow White," She growled with a voice full of pain and suffering.

"Ooh. Is there no one else you truly love? This curse isn't going to be easy. Vengeance never is, dearie," Spit flew into Regina's face as he spoke, "You have to ask yourself the simple question. How far are you willing to go?"

"As far as it takes," Regina snarled back. Melantha looked over at her husband, who nodded at her. She pushed down on Regina's throat a split second later, sending her crashing onto the floor.

"Then please don't waste everyone's time and just do it. You know what you love. Now go kill it," Rumpelstiltskin snapped before retreating into the darkness of his cell, slightly comforted by the notion of not being parted from his lover.

OUAT

Emma walked down the street with the slightest spring in her step, only to slump at the sight of her car with a boot on it. She stormed over to it and inspected it until her phone rang and she answered it. "Yeah?"

"Miss Swan, I'd be happy to continue demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?" A sneer curled Emma's lips at the sound of Regina's falsely charming voice through the phone.

"You have no idea," Regina sighed softly before continuing while Emma opened her car door to throw her jacket inside.

"Well then. I think it's time we made peace. Why don't you drive over to my office?" Emma slammed her car door, "Or walk, whatever suits you."

The blonde quickly hung up and stormed down the streets of Storybrooke until she reached the door to Regina's office. She took a deep breath and waited a few seconds until her anger ebbed before knocking on the door. Regina answered roughly thirty seconds later, a deeply fake smile in place as she led Emma up to her office. It was only once the both of them were situated that she spoke, playing every aspect of the worried mother to a tee.

"I'd like to start by apologizing, Miss Swan." Emma's eyes widened.

"What?" Regina sighed.

"I just have to accept the reality that you want to be here." Emma's eyes gleamed with a bit of hope.

"That's right. I do." Regina's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"And that you're here to take my son from me." Emma visibly deflated.

"Okay, let's be clear. I have no intention of taking him from anyone."

"Well, then, what are you doing here?" Regina demanded, a true spike of fear coursing through her at the thought of losing Henry. She knew she didn't show it very well, not even around Melanie, but she did love Henry deeply in her own way.

"I know I'm not a mother. I think that's pretty self-evident. But I did have him. And I can't help that he got in my head and I want to make sure he's okay," Emma winced as Regina bristled at her words, "The more you try to push me out, the more I want to be here. Especially after seeing how troubled he is."

Regina tilted her head while her brows furrowed at Emma, "You think he's troubled?"

"Well, he's in therapy. And I only got through a couple of pages of his shrink's notes before you had me arrested. But putting all that aside. He thinks everyone in this town is a fairy tale character," Emma rubbed her face with her hands as she stared at Regina, so confused and upset on behalf of her biological son.

"And you don't?" The brunette questioned, leaning in slightly.

"How can I? The poor kid can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it's only getting worse. It's crazy," Emma's eyes widened in horror as Henry appeared from around the corner, shattered and trembling with the sting of betrayal.

"You think I'm crazy?" Tears gathered in his eyes as he stared at his birth mom, the one person he believed in. The one person he had hoped would love him unconditionally. His jaw clenched as he stared at her for a second longer before he sprinted out of the house, a sob escaping his lips.

Henry didn't know where he was running until he arrived at the door of a large house he knew very well. He stared up at the salmon pink siding with green accents for several seconds before deciding to walk up the stone path to the door with inlays of stained glass. Right before he raised his hand to knock, he heard someone coming to the door. Henry took a step back and waited until the front door swung open to reveal Melantha.

"Henry?" She took a step outside the door, "What are you doing here, you have a session with Doctor Hopper tonight." Henry let out a soft sob and wiped his eyes furiously. Melantha sighed softly and pulled him into a hug, tears pricking at her own eyes at the sound of him crying. "Henry, what happened?"

"Can we… can we go inside?" The little boy had never sounded so lost and lonely as he did in that moment, and for a split second Melantha thought of every way she could hurt everyone who had ever done something horrible to this child.

"Of course Henry, come on in and I'll make you some tea," She paused, "Unless you want cocoa?"

"Tea please," He sniffled, holding her hand tightly as she led him into her large kitchen. Henry climbed onto one of the tall stools next to the island and watched as she prepared the kettle and set it on the stove to boil.

"Milk or sugar?" Melantha asked, trying to keep her composure around the boy as every one of his sniffles and sobs broke her heart just a little bit more.

"Both, please," Henry managed to say. Melantha nodded and prepared a sugar bowl as well as a small cream pitcher which she set down just beside him. She then poured a glass of water from the pitcher inside her fridge and handed it to him.

"Drink that," Melantha watched as he took a few sips and calmed down almost instantly, "Now, can you tell me what happened, Henry?"

Henry stayed silent for several seconds, just sipping at the water before he managed to speak. "It was my mom, she…"

"Regina or Emma?" Melantha asked gently while taking a seat next to him. Henry sniffled and took another sip of water.

"Emma. She said I'm crazy for believing in you guys being characters of fairytales," He sobbed and Melantha reached out to rub his back gently, "I'm not crazy Laney, you know I'm not."

Melantha's heart broke at his nickname for her, one he only used if he was truly and utterly miserable and hugged him tightly. "You are not crazy. I will never ever believe that, and neither should you."

They stayed like that, with Henry softly crying in her arms, for several minutes while Melantha tried every method she knew to soothe the poor boy. Her fingers carded through his hair gently, she slowly rocked them back and forth, she whispered over and over again that he was not crazy, but nothing helped. Henry still cried, and only came to a sort of halt when the teapot began to shriek with the steam of boiled water. He pulled away while Melantha left her stool to pour some of the boiling water into two mugs.

"What kind of tea would you like honey?" She asked gently while opening her tea cabinet. "I have lemon, oolong, jasmine, cinnamon, orange, or peppermint."

Henry wiped his nose with his sleeve and sniffled as he thought it over. "Cinnamon please."

Melantha smiled and grabbed two cinnamon tea bags from the box and placed them in the mugs. She walked over to the island and set them down before wincing as she heard her husband start to come down the stairs. "I'll be back in a moment, Henry."

She left the kitchen and walked over to the base of the stairs, where her husband had just arrived, cane in hand and with a slightly unbuttoned shirt on atop his pants. "Henry's here, his mom called him crazy and he didn't want to go to Doctor Hopper's office. He can't stop crying for more than a few seconds and nothing I'm doing is helping-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Rumpelstiltskin soothed while pulling his wife into a hug, "You're doing your best, Mellie. I don't mind that the boy is here, just make sure he doesn't break anything important." Melantha nodded into his chest. "Now, go comfort that boy. I'm going down to the basement for a little while, if I'm still down there when the boy is retrieved I would love for you to join me."

"Alright," Melantha pulled away and pressed a kiss to his lips, "I'll see you later."

Rumplestiltskin nodded and walked down the rest of the stairs to the basement, his cane thudding against the wood every so often. Melantha watched until he got to the bottom and then returned to the kitchen. Surprisingly, the tea seemed to have done wonders for Henry. He looked less blotchy, and a little less miserable, but he was still somewhat teary every so often. Melantha smiled and took a seat next to him, sipping at her tea and talking to him about anything that might distract him from thoughts of either of his mothers.

OUAT

Emma threw open the door to Archie's office, only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight of an empty couch and a worried therapist at his desk. A therapist who jumped at the sight of her standing there.

"Miss Swan, I'm sorry that you came all this way, but Henry isn't here," He explained, stammering every so often.

"Where is he? Doctor Hopper, I messed up and I need to find him so I can explain," Emma said frantically.

"Um, well," Archie hesitated, "I have one idea, especially if you upset him horribly." Emma nodded and gestured for him to continue. "If he's truly upset, too upset for a session with me, he's probably gone to the Golds' house."

"Like, Melanie and her husband's house?" Emma asked with a frown. "Why would he go there as opposed to here?" Archie sighed.

"Melanie and Regina have always had an interesting relationship, and they've maintained a closeness for over a decade now. It only grew when Regina adopted Henry. She was a new mom, Melanie knew her way around babies and so she helped her out with raising Henry. In a way, she's like a third mother to him on top of Regina and yourself."

"And yet he refuses to speak about them in your sessions," Emma raised an eyebrow as Archie winced.

"Yes, he claims he has no idea who she and Mr. Gold are in the story and refuses to answer any personal questions about them," He admitted.

"Doesn't that strike you as odd? What if she's hurting him?" Emma's eyes widened as Archie looked truly upset for a second.

"I can assure you, Miss Swan, Melanie would never ever hurt Henry or let anyone else hurt him. She loves him, just like you and Regina do, you all just show it in different ways. Now, I would suggest you go there and see if he is in fact with them," Archie snapped before sitting back down at his desk. Emma sighed and turned on her heel before running out of the office and down the streets of Storybrooke.

OUAT

Melantha laughed as Henry fell back onto the living room floor with a loud groan. "This is why you don't challenge me to a game of chess, Henry."

"How are you so good at this game?" The young boy asked as he sat back up and took a sip of tea. Melantha shrugged and moved the chess pieces back in place before setting the board aside.

"Ample practice. Now, what would you like-" They both stiffened as the doorbell rang. "I believe that will be your mother."

"I don't want to see her," Henry muttered while curling in on himself. Melantha sighed and moved to kneel in front of him.

"Henry, you know how I try not to tell you what to do unless it's for safety reasons?" Henry nodded and looked up at her. "Well, this time I am going to tell you what to do. I want you to hear her out. That doesn't mean forgiving her, but you should always hear people out because then you can make a truly educated decision."

Henry stared at her for several seconds before sighing, "Fine."

Melantha smiled and stood up before walking over to the door, and opened it to reveal Emma. "Hello Miss Swan, I assume Doctor Hopper sent you over here for Henry?"

"Yes, is he here?" She demanded, taking a step closer to the white-haired woman in front of her. Melantha raised her eyebrows and straightened her spine before glaring at Emma.

"Yes, he is. However, you have a lot of explaining to do for that poor boy because he only EVER comes here if he is miserable. And you made him feel that way," She snarled, satisfaction brimming inside her when Emma flinched and took a step away from her.

"I know. I know and I am so so sorry for that and I just want to make it up to him." Melantha took a deep breath and relaxed.

"I'll send him out, you two can talk out here and have some privacy," Emma nodded and watched Melantha go around the corner to her living room, returning moments later with a very tired Henry. "Alright Henry, it's time for you to go. Thank you for trusting me enough to come here and tell me what was going on."

Henry smiled and hugged Melantha tightly before running out to talk with Emma, who led him down the path towards the beach as she tried to make things right again. Melantha watched them for a few seconds before turning to see her husband standing just behind her.

"Hello, darling," She whispered before pressing a quick kiss to his lips, "What are you up to?"

"I thought we'd pay Regina a visit," He whispered with a smirk. Melantha's eyes widened before she returned it, and walked out to their car with Rumpelstiltskin joining her a few moments later before they drove off.

OUAT

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at his wife as he helped her exit the car. Melantha blushed and looped her arm through his as he led her around to the back garden of Regina's home. Their eyes widened as they caught sight of the apple tree.

"What a mess," Melantha couldn't help but to agree with her husband's words. The once flawless tree was mangled and its fruit bruised and battered as it lay on the grass. Regina sighed and turned towards them.

"Not for long. What could I do for you, Mr. Gold, Melanie?" She asked, faking a smile at the Scottish man before her, as well as his wife.

"I was just in the neighbourhood. Thought I'd pop by," Rumpelstiltiskin took a step forward, "Lovely to see you in such high spirits."

"Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance," Regina picked up a less damaged apple as she spoke, a devious grin stretched across her face.

"Emma Swan. Really?" Melantha asked, raising her eyebrows at the brunette woman.

"Yes. I imagine she's halfway to Boston by now."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that," Regina stiffened at Rumplestiltskin's words, "I just seen her strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked." Melantha bit back a grin as Regina snarled.

"What?"

"Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan is a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help. For a price, of course," Rumpelstiltskin picked up an apple.

"I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore," Regina whispered coldly.

"To which deal are you referring?"

"You know what deal."

"Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you," Melantha shivered as she heard her husband's voice darken, "Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?"

Regina closed her eyes as she forced the old pain down, ignoring its fresh sting in her heart as she thought of the father she sacrificed, "Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?"

Melantha and Rumpelstiltskin raised their eyebrows, but only the latter spoke, "Whatever do you mean?"

"Where did you get him? Do you know something?"

"Regina, he has no idea what you're implying," Melantha interjected softly.

"I think he does. Who is this woman, his mother, this…Emma Swan?" Regina demanded while glaring at Rumpelstiltskin.

"I would say you think you know exactly who she is. Now, we really must be going," Rumpelstiltskin turned and began to lead his wife from the garden with one hand on the small of her back instead of looped around her arm. Regina, however, had other plans and ran to stand in front of them.

"Tell me what you know about her." Melantha sneered at her, and stepped forward until they were barely a foot apart.

"We're not going to answer you. So I suggest you excuse us," Regina gaped at the poison dripping from her words, "Please."

Regina's mind went blank for a moment as she stumbled out of their way, shock coursing through her system. _"How? How did they remember?"_ Her mind scrambled for any answers it could think of, anything at all. And then she realized, she knew exactly who Emma Swan was, even if she didn't want to believe it.

**Hi guys, I'm so sorry for not updating for a few months. Everything has been so crazy lately but I am very excited to be back to this story. Please leave a review if you can, I find them so comforting and motivating! **


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